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I cannot count how many times I’ve been told, if only passively, to “sit down“; that there is no place for a woman in the pulpit. The problem with this is, not only do I know the calling God has placed on my life, but He has never told me to sit down.

He’s never told any of us to sit down.

Rather, Hetells us to kneel… before Him, and then to carry the Word boldly into this world. This is the great commission put on every believer in Jesus Christ. Some of those believers, like myself, are called to do this in pastoral ministry. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why this is my calling… but I know He has equipped me for it.

Perhaps, it is because God knows I’m a little cray and I’ll lead boldly for Him. He knows that I will honor Him no matter what the cost. No matter what the opposition. God created us to be brave warriors in His kingdom.

It is no matter to Him that there are actual breasts beneath the breastplate of righteousness, so long as the sword we fight by is His Spirit.

We are all to have feet “sandaled with readiness” to carry the gospel. If the way you are called to do that is in front of a crowd or a church, do it! Do not neglect your gift! I’m not going to neglect (or hide) mine any longer. Today, I lay it out there that this is who I am.

I am a pastor.

I was the worst of sinners. I realized only God could change my heart and I wanted to surrender, but I doubted Jesus was God. I almost became Muslim. I begged for faith in Christ. I received it immediately and in abundance. I had only one request from God:

I prayed and asked what He wanted me to do with this overwhelming desire to teach. As a teen, I had been anointed as a teacher in church, but I didn’t know what it meant during that time (I thought I was going to teach math). When I came to faith 10 years later, it became clear.

Within days of recieving this faith, my pastor recommended I begin attending The John Leland Center to earn my diploma in theology. He suggested I would pastor a church myself someday. He had no awareness of my pleading to the Lord about shepherding. I didn’t even know that is what I was asking for at the time. I just had to ask!

I asked and I received.

Now, I’m going to use what I asked for. The question is no longer my calling… God already made that very clear. The question is now where, when, how… and all the normal things every pastor has to grapple with.

I tell you this because it is not a road to travel alone. We need each other, even and especially those of us who lead. Friends, please be in prayer for me and my family as we navigate this journey. It is only the beginning and I’m going to need all of you, the body of Christ, along the way. I love you all dearly.